


Never man sigh’d truer breath

by jibrailis



Category: Coriolanus - Shakespeare
Genre: Community: kink_bingo, Iambic Pentameter, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-06-30
Updated: 2010-06-30
Packaged: 2017-10-10 08:15:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/97571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jibrailis/pseuds/jibrailis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Coriolanus and Aufidius do it. In verse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Never man sigh’d truer breath

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into 中文 available: [挚情叹息](https://archiveofourown.org/works/474418) by [styx](https://archiveofourown.org/users/styx/pseuds/styx)
  * Translation into Русский available: [Искреннее вздохов](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1016905) by [Lucky Jack (Lucky_Jack)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lucky_Jack/pseuds/Lucky%20Jack)



> For the dirty talk square in [Kink Bingo.](http://kink-bingo.dreamwidth.org/)
> 
> Um. I have no excuse for this.

CORIOLANUS:  
I had known not that the red tide of war  
That may drive men and horse to their nature  
By very nature turn as sweet as wine:  
Mother's wine, the feminine's fruitful drink  
I now drink from thy mouth, to the last dregs  
Of thy martial arms and thy stout forelegs  
Thou hast march'st upon my city of birth;  
I once was a Roman but Rome is fell,  
Plagued o'er with beasts who dream they are men  
With men's speech and men's haste of desire.  
In truth they would craft a most monstrous thing  
And dress it in civil impunity.

AUFIDIUS:  
Thy tongue hath thorns astride. Speak not of Rome!  
All I would desire of Rome is here.  
I wax'd of mine arms about thy body,  
My love a shard of hot metal in forge.  
My ambition hath been for godless Rome  
Alack tonight my eyes are sword wounded.  
Many men stand guard. I see only thee.

CORIOLANUS:  
Thy valour is strong.

AUFIDIUS:  
My blood runs stronger.

CORIOLANUS:  
Tullus Aufidius, what love I bear  
For the Volscians hath been thy doing.  
I remove my glabius and my shield.  
Walking before you, I am bare chest'd.  
Would'st thou take the measure of my embrace  
And knowing verily, return my pride?

AUFIDIUS:  
Most marvelous do I find thy pride.  
I have most cause to touch thy burn'd skin  
Temper'd by that most ancient of causes  
Which poets call war but I call living.  
Thy life is parcel'd on thy nearing breath.  
Thy kiss is the worth of an army's cry.  
Caius Marcius, put thy hand more south.

CORIOLANUS:  
What is this I find?  
My enemy as true fond as my wife.

AUFIDIUS:  
Speak not of thy tender, virtuous wife  
When thy hand grasps my boyish eagerness.  
This is Antium; our methods are such.  
Thy hand now hath learned the Volscian way.  
I am a general of Volscians.  
I command you—ah!

CORIOLANUS:  
Command? Hast thou not sworn as my brother?  
Have we drunk not the peace of good welcome  
That great Mars himself would smile upon us?

AUFIDIUS:  
Nay, not Mars but Bacchus. I spoke in jest.  
Thou would'st make the motley world a gray nag.  
Save for thy hand, my brother; move thy hand  
And I shall move with thee, bend my sore back  
Whereof warlike pain spins and turns, sweetly  
To profound pleasure.

CORIOLANUS:  
Here thou come'st to grasp me in reply,  
Thy counter-attack to my first offense  
If such a matter may be termed offense;  
I would rather name it a city plunder  
That I have strung in my nightly wanders  
Yet ne'er hoped to see't in the flesh.

AUFIDIUS:  
The flesh hath joys the spirit cannot taste.  
Settle, my brother, betwixt my two legs.  
Or, if be thy desire, lift them up.  
Thy shoulders know to carry heavy weights.  
Now thou hast plunder'd me well and truly.  
Thou growest in me.

CORIOLANUS:  
The measure of men; how many before me?

AUFIDIUS:  
One.

CORIOLANUS:  
I will unman him.

AUFIDIUS:  
Thy jealousy makes for wilder bedding.  
I am speared and from hence on tomorrow  
Volscians will turn a bright eye and ask  
Why their general doth walk so slowly.  
I shall answer them distinct, to a man:  
The taker of cities hath taken me.

CORIOLANUS:  
Ah!

AUFIDIUS:  
By thy ravaging cry, thou spill'st so soon?  
No matter; the night is maidenly yet.


End file.
